1
as in distracted
to draw the attention or mind to something else
she was about to tell me the big news when her attention was called off by the arrival of another guest
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in canceled
to put an end to (something planned or previously agreed to)
called off the party after half of those invited couldn't make it
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of called off
Fortunato Bas chairs the Alameda County Together for All (ACT) committee which began drafting the ordinances last fall amid the launch of a Bay Area immigration enforcement operation which was eventually called off.
—
Chase Hunter, Mercury News, 29 Jan. 2026
Most Memphis schools have called off classes for Wednesday, with some colleges having remote learning for another day as well.
—Jack Armstrong, Memphis Commercial Appeal, 28 Jan. 2026
That initial chase was called off due to high speeds amid the snowy weather at the time.
—Paula Wethington, CBS News, 28 Jan. 2026
The dip-buying promptly paid off the following day when stocks roared back after Trump called off the tariffs tied to Greenland.
—Sarah Min, CNBC, 27 Jan. 2026
The extreme cold caused events, including outdoor winter festivals, to be called off over the weekend.
—Frank Witsil, Freep.com, 26 Jan. 2026
Perry was previously engaged to Orlando Bloom, but the two called off their engagement in 2025.
—Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 26 Jan. 2026
Amtrak also announced several train cancellations in the Midwest and Great Plains, but no northeastern routes were had been called off prior to Friday.
—Joseph Wilkinson, New York Daily News, 22 Jan. 2026
In 1994, when owners called off the World Series rather than surrender their pursuit of a salary cap, the following season started a month late, and even then the owners did not get a cap.
—Bill Shaikin, Los Angeles Times, 21 Jan. 2026
Chase Hunter, Mercury News, 29 Jan. 2026
Most Memphis schools have called off classes for Wednesday, with some colleges having remote learning for another day as well.
—Jack Armstrong, Memphis Commercial Appeal, 28 Jan. 2026
That initial chase was called off due to high speeds amid the snowy weather at the time.
—Paula Wethington, CBS News, 28 Jan. 2026
The dip-buying promptly paid off the following day when stocks roared back after Trump called off the tariffs tied to Greenland.
—Sarah Min, CNBC, 27 Jan. 2026
The extreme cold caused events, including outdoor winter festivals, to be called off over the weekend.
—Frank Witsil, Freep.com, 26 Jan. 2026
Perry was previously engaged to Orlando Bloom, but the two called off their engagement in 2025.
—Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 26 Jan. 2026
Amtrak also announced several train cancellations in the Midwest and Great Plains, but no northeastern routes were had been called off prior to Friday.
—Joseph Wilkinson, New York Daily News, 22 Jan. 2026
In 1994, when owners called off the World Series rather than surrender their pursuit of a salary cap, the following season started a month late, and even then the owners did not get a cap.
—Bill Shaikin, Los Angeles Times, 21 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for called off
Verb
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As Amodei warned this week, AI may yet be positioned to inflict maximum damage on a hapless and perpetually distracted human race.—
Dallas Morning News,
Dallas Morning News,
1 Feb. 2026
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Reigns, then, took care of Fatu when Fatu was distracted by the happenings between McIntyre and Rhodes.—
Ryan Gaydos,
FOXNews.com,
1 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Residential garbage and recycling pickup scheduled for today has been canceled, according to the news release.—
Anne Li,
Arkansas Online,
27 Jan. 2026
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Thus, the Special Plan Commission Meeting scheduled for February 2, 2026, has been canceled.—
Jeramie Bizzle,
CBS News,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Delta Airlines confirmed to CBS News that a flight had an engine issue, and a handful of flights that were scheduled to arrive at DTW were diverted to other airports.—
DeJanay Booth-Singleton,
CBS News,
29 Jan. 2026
-
No injuries were reported, but 114 was closed and traffic was being diverted to Texas 121 south and Texas 360 south.—
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
28 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Meanwhile, Eli, who was adopted by a white woman as a child, has mostly abandoned any ties to his ethnic background.—
Carlos Aguilar,
Variety,
1 Feb. 2026
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Forensic experts testified that tiny fragments of flesh found inside William McGuire’s abandoned Nissan Maxima belonged to the victim and were not consistent with material shed by a living person.—
Stepheny Price,
FOXNews.com,
1 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Back in December, Entertainment Weekly reported the ride’s pre-show entertainment was permanently scrapped from the attraction.—
Colson Thayer,
PEOPLE,
29 Jan. 2026
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Charli would text Cook promoting singles for a third album that would eventually be scrapped (that’s a whole other chunk of their lore) and crisscrossing the globe to perform.—
Matthew Huff,
Vanity Fair,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
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While the property is technically already zoned OCI for the Audrey Senior Residences, that will be revoked and then rezone for The Atlas.—
Carolyn Stein,
Chicago Tribune,
3 Feb. 2026
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More than 60,000 visas would be revoked over the next three months.—
Kaya Genç,
The Dial,
3 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Pilots on the Mesa Airlines flight decided that the separation between their craft and the one taking off was insufficient and initiated a go-around, in which a landing is aborted.—
Andrew J. Campa,
Los Angeles Times,
28 Jan. 2026
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This enables a safe recovery during training exercises or if a strike mission is aborted, a feature aimed at reducing losses during non-combat operations.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
26 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The measure raised modest revenues, which fell as rich people moved out of the country to avoid paying, and the measure was repealed by the government of President Emmanuel Macron in 2017.—
Kevin Rector,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Jan. 2026
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But the current state school aid budget repealed that option.—
Terell Bailey,
CBS News,
23 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Called off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/called%20off. Accessed 4 Feb. 2026.
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